Control apparatus



G. M. EATON.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. I914. RENEWED APR. I2. I919.

1 ,32 1 5 1 3 Patented Nov. 11, 1919..

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m @TIIZIIIZZZIIZIZZEi-E i WITNESSES: INVENTOR M 6 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. EATON, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed. April 4, 1914, Serial No. 829,432. BeneWed'ApriI 12,1919; Serial No. 289,743.

To all whom it ma concern Be it known that I, GEORGE M. EATON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Control Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to control apparatus for governing the operation of dynamoelectric machines, and it has'special reference to liquid rheostats which are adapted for use in connection with alternating current induction motors.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of the above indicated character which shall be light in weight and compact in structure, and shall embody an improved, effective and reliable means for fixing the level of the electrolyte contained within the rheostat tank and for governing the discharge of the electrolyte therefrom.

It is the special object of my invention to improve the construction and operation of a combined discharge and'regulating valve for liquid rheostats, such as is set forth in detail in a co-pending application, Serial No. 829,419, filed April 1, 191 1, by Karl A.

Simmon, and assigned to the VVestinghouse' Electric & Manufacturing Company.

According to my invention, I provide a liquid rheostat having a bottom discharge opening with which a plurality of relatively movable cooperating tubular members are associated to constitute a telescopic valve, for the purpose of fixing the electrolyte level and for opening and closing the discharge opening.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a view, partially in section and partially in side elevation, of a rheostat constructed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the telescopic valve shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken along the line IIII of that figure.

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus shown comprises a tank 1 adapted to contain a suitable electrolyte, a plurality of sets of cooperating electrodes 2, an inlet port 3 and a telescopic valve 4.

The tank 1 may be of any suitable construction, although it preferably hasits lowered portion tapered and provided with an opening 6 through which electrolyte may be discharged.

Since the electrodes 2 form no material part of my invention, they may, of course, be of any construction known to the art. Moreover, the number of sets of electrodes is not essential, as my invention is applicable to rheostats adapted for either single-phase, polyphase or direct-current energy.

The telescopic valve 1 is compound in structure and function, and embodies a stationary tubular member 9 which is preferably secured to the inner edge of the tank opening 6 and which projects upwardly into the rheostat to a height slightly above the lower ends of the electrodes 2. The stationary member 9 is provided near its lower end, and just above the opening 6, with a plurality of apertures 10 of liberal size. If desired, the stationary tubular member 9 may be disposed entirely above the opening 6 and be supported in position by separate members which correspond to the integral portions 11 between the several apertures 10, although the specific form illustrated is probably to be preferred.

Surrounding the lower end of the tubular member 9 is a relatively movable tubular member 12 which is adapted to rest upon a seat 13 in the lower portion of the tank 1 and to cover and close the apertures 10 of the stationary member 9. The movable member 12 is attached, by means of members 1 1, to supporting yoke 15 which is carried in turn by a rod 16. The rod 16 projects through a suitable opening in a cover 17 and is adapted to be actuated by any suitable apparatus (not shown), such, for instance, as an electro-pneumatic power device or the like.

A third tubular member 20 is disposed within the upper portion of the stationary member 9 and is adapted to be raised and lowered by means of any suitable operating mechanism or apparatus through the agency of a. supporting yoke 21 and a rod 22 which projects through the cover 17.

Assuming the parts of the apparatus to occupy the positions shown, the operation thereof is as follows: The inlet port 3 is first opened to allow the admission of electrolyte, which quickly fills the lower tapered portion of the rheostat tank 1 and makes contact with the lower ends of the electrodes 

